


Tale As Old As Time

by Topographical_Map_Of_Utah



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU, Knight!Poe, Knight!Rey, M/M, Prince!Finn, Stormpilot, True Love's Kiss, Witch!Rey, fairytale!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-24 04:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7493964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Topographical_Map_Of_Utah/pseuds/Topographical_Map_Of_Utah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>C'mon guys, this is a Beauty and the Beast story. You all know how this is gonna work. True love, evil spells, castles in the middle of the woods. It's formulaic, is all I'm saying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Are we there yet?"

Poe rolled his eyes and glanced over at Rey, who was slouching in her saddle, listlessly chewing on an apple she must have dug up in one of her pockets. For one of D'Qar's best knights and gifted sorcerer's apprentice, Rey sure could act like a whiny kid at times.

"C'mon, Rey, lighten up. We're adventuring, remember? You're supposed to be excited." Poe insisted. Rey flipped him off and tossed her apple core against a tree, grumbling. In all honesty she had every right to be bored. Two months ago they had won a decisive victory for General Organa, and in return Poe had been granted a three month vacation. After much pleading and bargaining, Rey had managed to get Luke, her mentor, to give her time off of her studies. Now they had been out for seven weeks and the whole endeavour was beginning to be a bit tiresome. How hard could it be to find a bit of adventure?

"I'd have more fun cataloguing Luke's rune books. What're you even looking for?" she complained. 

"We've been over this. And hey, you're the one who volunteered to tag along with me." Poe pointed out. At that Rey scowled, knowing she couldn't argue. When Poe had told her the story he was chasing she had immediately begged to come, and he really couldn't say no. After all, it was pretty exciting.

A fantastic monster story had drawn them to a small town at the edge of the next province over, and Poe was set on being the one to solve the riddle of the strange creature. It was said that a beast prowled the woods endlessly, and it wasn't uncommon for a traveller who hadn't been seen in a month or two to come bursting out of the trees at full tilt, yelling about the creature that had chased them out of its woods. The adventures of these brave souls were recounted in taverns and markets, moving from kingdom to kingdom by ox-drawn cart and gossiping merchants.

By the time they reached Poe's ear the rumours had been generously expanded upon, illustrating the story of a bloodthirsty beast standing thirty feet tall, with glowing yellow eyes and a voice like a cannon who would chase travellers through the woods after dark. If they were lucky they would find a shining golden castle buried deep within the forest. Nobody lived there, yet sumptuous meals and fine clothes appeared for the traveller as though by magic. The Beast never came to the palace, but once the traveller stepped off of the grounds they would find it at their heels, an indistinct shape in the shadows, growling, foaming, intent on having them for supper. But something about these stories didn’t quite add up. The Beast had never killed anyone, and Poe was hellbent on figuring out why.

"Hey, Poe, I think we're here, wherever here is..." All of a sudden Rey's voice snapped Poe out of his revery. He looked up and smiled in anticipation. Up until now they had been travelling through villages and fields, but now a dark, forbidding forest loomed above them. Crows were perched on the gnarled branches, wolves were howling somewhere in its shadowy depths, the whole business gave off a rather dismal air of doom and gloom. Poe couldn't wait to explore it.

“Oh, this looks fun. We should look out for witches." he teased. 

“Thanks for the advice.”Rey rolled her eyes and glanced at the woods. "Go in if you want, but I'm heading back."

"How come? We just got to the good part." Poe complained. Rey just stuck her tongue out at him and shrugged.

"Your little expedition's already been extended by a month. Luke expected me to be back a week ago." Poe sighed and nodded, resigned. He couldn't argue with that. Whatever it was that Luke was teaching her, Rey seemed more invested in it than Poe had ever been in his own schooling.

"Alright, alright. See you, apprentice." he laughed. "Careful in that village, got that?"

"Oh, Crazy Town?" Rey asked. Poe nodded, holding back a laugh. The last village they'd ridden through a couple klicks back had been one of those Puritan holdouts, populated by sallow-faced people in black who never seemed to smile. Unfortunately it was bordered by a cliff on one side and a river on the other, so there was no way of avoiding the nutters living there. They had taken a special dislike to Rey, surrounding her with whispers of  _witch_ and glaring at her through slitted eyes. They were right, actually, but there was no reason to give them the satisfaction of knowing that.

“Don't worry, I'll be fine. Take care, old man. Bye, Bea.” she added, reaching out to pat Poe's orange and white paint horse on the nose.

"You too, kid." Poe laughed. As Rey galloped off Poe saluted and turned back to the forest, grinning. Yeah, he'd be perfectly fine on his own.

 

————

 

Poe might want to rethink his earlier bravado. He cursed and spurned Bea on, crashing through the underbrush as he tried to outpace the heavy footfalls following him. Too fast and persistent to be a bear, too big to be a wolf or lynx, whatever it was, it didn't sound friendly.

All of a sudden the trees thinned out and Poe found himself clattering across a bridge leading up to a palace, spires lost in the grey clouds gathering overhead, gate hanging loose on their hinges. Once they had galloped into the courtyard Poe jumped onto the ground and spun around, sword at the ready, but his only enemies were the swirling eddies of fog hovering around the twisted trees. Out of the corner of his eye he may have seen a flash of dark brown fur, but it disappeared before he could get a closer look.

“What the hell…” Poe backed away from the forest, the steady burn of eyes on the back of his neck making him shiver. Trying to shake off the feeling he sheathed his blade and grabbed Bea by the bridle, scrutinizing the crumbling castle looming behind them. Well, so far as adventure goes, this place looked promising. As he walked through the courtyard he wondered what was lying in wait for him. Maybe he would find a warlock, or a ghost, or maybe even a dragon. Then he turned the corner and blinked, so underwhelmed he was almost astounded.

He found himself in a crude little garden, bushes resplendent with deep red roses and fruit trees heavy with their crop. The neat picket fences bordering the beds were covered in mysterious claw marks, and a bush or two had been snapped in half, but other than that the garden appeared remarkably dull and civil. Poe would be disappointed if he wasn’t so confused.

“And what d’you make of this, Bea?” he asked absently. His horse didn’t respond, straining to reach the glossy green apples hanging from one of the trees. He rolled his eyes and tugged at her bridle, leading her towards the stable he’d spotted in the corner of the courtyard. "Alright, alright. Hold your horses. Let's get you inside." 

She settled down once Poe set her up in the first stall, well stocked with hay and oats and thick woollen blankets. Who had left them there was a mystery. While fiddling with her bridle Poe glanced around at the otherwise abandoned stable, the empty stalls and cobwebby windows.

”D’you think this is the enchanted castle, Bea?" he asked. The horse snorted into her bag of oats and Poe rubbed her flank, still speculating. "There's less gold than I was promised. Might be worth a look, though. You stay here.”

After poking around for awhile Poe found his way into the castle storeroom, stocked with barrels of dried meat and boxes of preserves. Pretty simple stuff, for a place this grand. That led to a cosy kitchen with a fire crackling in the hearth and bowls of ingredients crowded clumsily on the stone counter. Worth mentioning was that everything was covered in claw marks. Poe was sensing a theme, here.

He helped himself to an apple from the sideboard and set about wandering down the grand, lonely halls, his whistling echoing off of the buttresses far above him. A storm had sprung up outside and the windows were rattling against the howling wind and driving rain. Who knows what he would've done if he had had to spend the night outside. He slid down the bannister of a wide staircase, straight into what looked to be a sitting room. It seemed prepared for his arrival if the roaring fire in the hearth was anything to go by. Silently thanking his host, who had yet to make an appearance, Poe pulled off his cloak and draped it over the mantlepiece, inspecting his surroundings as he did.  A dented tray was sitting on the little table beside an overstuffed armchair, holding a bowl of stew and a mug brimming with strong coffee. So much for grand banquets and fine wine.

Poe was making his way towards the armchair when a whisper of a noise made him pause and turn around. An indistinct shadow was cowering in the doorway, peeking curiously at Poe with bright pinprick eyes.

“Hello. Who are you?" Poe asked. But as Poe tried to come closer the shadow stole away to the darkest corner of the room with a soft snuffling noise. Poe narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the hulking shape he was confronted with. _What are you_ may have been a more appropriate question.

“Come on out, would you? I don’t bite,” he promised. When Poe said that the shadows shifted and something that looked like a paw poked into view. He swallowed, trying to ignore the itch in his hand telling him to make a grab for his sword. ”And I sure hope you don't."

His worries weren’t unfounded. Poe watched as the creature crept into the light, trying to keep his expression neutral. A bear, maybe? He had horns, though, and his face was surrounded by what looked like a matted up lion’s mane. He stood about seven feet tall, and that was when he was stooped over, his shabby cloak trailing carelessly on the ground. But there was a very human glint in his dark eyes that Poe felt he could trust. Poe loosened his grip on his sword and smiled as his host inched forward. So this must be the famous Beast. 

"What's your name?" Poe asked, trying to sound friendly. Before answering him the Beast jumped up onto the armchair, ignoring the protesting squeak from the springs. Once he was curled up comfortably he cocked his head and blinked, as though trying to remember what a name was. While the Beast was occupied with that Poe had to scramble to get the image of a very big house cat out of his mind.

"I've forgotten," the Beast said slowly. His voice was low and gravelly, rusty with disuse. "I had one once, at least I think I did. But the last thing anybody's ever called me was the Beast." He shrugged and scratched at his ear with a clawed foot. "They're not wrong, but a little subtlety would have been appreciated."

"We'll have to think up a better one, then." Poe turned away, so he didn't catch the Beast's startled expression. "This is the palace, huh? Isn't quite as shiny as the villagers said."

"I haven't been out of the castle in a long time." Poe could detect the slightest hint of wistfulness in the Beast’s voice. "They really say all that?"

Poe nodded, grinning a little bit. ”That's why I came out here. Thought I could bag myself a bit of new property." he laughed, looking at the cobwebby corners and faded tapestries on the walls. "No offence, but I'm starting to doubt that the ride out here was worth it."

"Sorry to disappoint." The Beast mumbled. He stretched and flopped back down with another squeak. After a few minutes of quiet he piped up again, sounding tentative. “Did you mean it?”

“Mean what?” Poe asked as he wandered around the room, running his hands over the bookshelves. He pulled out a battered old volume and flipped absently through the pages, skimming over the stories that he'd read before and trying to find a new one. 

“Giving me a different name.” the Beast said slowly. Poe shrugged, as though what he'd just heard was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, yeah. I'm not going to call you the Beast, am I? What kind of a jerk do you take me for?" He was looking down at the book he'd just picked up, squinting a bit in the firelight. He'd never read the story before, some Irish legend about a guy fifty-two and a half-feet tall named Finn MacCool. Curious, Poe glanced over at the Beast, who was still curled up in his chair. Standing up he'd be what, eleven, twelve feet? Close enough.

“Hey, how about Finn? Is that okay?”

“Finn?” The Beast's ears perked up and he nodded, something that looked like a smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah, I like that. What’s your name?”

"Poe. Poe Dameron." It was impossible not to notice that the Beast's tail was wagging at the novelty of actually having a proper name. Poe bit back a laugh and shook his head. Well, this is not how he'd expected this adventure business to turn out, but he could work with it. "Good to meet you, Finn."

“Good to meet you too, Poe." Lightning crashed outside and the Beast shivered, glancing at Poe with something a lot like hope flickering in his eyes. “You’re welcome to stay the night if you’d like.”

“Really? That'd be great. It’s really pouring out there…” Poe peeked out of the window and shivered. "I should check on my horse. Thanks again, Finn."

"Don't mention it." When Poe had run off to the stables the Beast curled back up on the armchair, watching the flames flicker in the fireplace. After awhile he stretched and cleared his throat, hoping he was actually alone.

"Finn." he said slowly. " _Finn._ " For awhile Finn just sat and tested the name on his tongue, liking the easy, friendly roll of it. Nobody wanted to be friends with a guy called the Beast, but Finn? That he could work with.

 

————

 

One night became two days, then four, then Poe had spent a week in the castle, keeping Finn company or wandering around on his own, running through the wings or staring up at the painted frescoes in the ballroom. Evenings he and Finn usually wound up together in the library, sitting in front of a cosy fire. Sometimes they'd play chess, which Finn proved to be remarkable at, but mostly they just sat and talked, Finn about a book he'd read or a play he’d seen as a child, Poe about interesting people he knew or wonderful places he’d been. Tonight they had somehow wound up on the subject of the forests around the palace, their twisted paths and sudden cliffs. As it turns out, Poe wasn't Finn's first visitor.

"So," Poe began, scowling at the chessboard before tentatively moving one of his pawns forwards. "What're we talking? Ten, twenty people?" Finn nodded and nudged his rook a couple spaces to the left, taking one of Poe's knights as he did.

“Something like that. It’s easy to get lost in these woods at night. One wrong turn and you’re done for. I know my way around, but I can’t exactly walk up to them and offer help. Think of me as a reluctant sheepdog.” Finn cracked a resigned grin and shrugged. "I nip at their heels and they go running in whichever direction I corral them."

“So that’s where the stories come from.” Poe realised, eyes still intent on the board. “The people who come running out of the forest, you're just leading them to safety."

Finn nodded, firelight flickering in his dark eyes, making up for the spark that had just gone out of them. That happened sometimes, when he caught glimpses himself in mirrors or accidentally nicked Poe with his claws. It was like he’d heard so many people call him a monster that now he believed he was one, too. It was kind of sad, really. “Then once they’re here, you just hide?”

“Yeah. Believe me, I know the effect I have on people. If they saw me they’d run off into the woods again and we’d be back to square one. Better if I just leave a fire going and some food out, then keep to myself. Some of them stayed for awhile, though." Finn reflected fondly. "This little kid, he liked the garden, splashing around in the fountain and climbing the trees. Then there was a lady who played the piano and sang a lot. You could hear her through the whole castle. She had a pretty voice." After checking Poe's queen Finn rolled over onto his back, his tail thudding on the old carpet, raising little puffs of dust that danced in the firelight. "I like having people around.”

"Did you ever talk to them?" Poe had gotten up to stoke the fire, so Finn was staring at his back. “Aside from me, I mean.”

"Once." Finn bit his lip and sighed. He didn't really want to revisit that experience. “The first time somebody came here, it was an old man. He took some of my mother’s roses and I snapped at him. I don’t know what I was thinking. I overreacted, locked him up in the dungeon. It was stupid. I regretted it the second he was in the cell.”

“Where’d you get an idea like that?” Poe wondered. Finn felt his face heat up and he buried his snout in his paws. God, this was embarrassing.

“I think my mother once read me a storybook where something like that happened. I dunno, spur of the moment decisions…” Finn shook his head, trying not to cringe. “Well, his daughter showed up looking for him, offered to take his place. But I let them both go. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don't want to steal someone else's freedom, not the way mine was taken." He fiddled with the hem of his cape, wincing when it tore under his claws. "I don't want to trap somebody else here, even if it means saving myself."

"Saving yourself from what?" Poe asked. Finn’s eyes widened and he clamped his mouth shut, cursing himself for nearly letting his secret spill. Without another word he stole away, galloping down the halls, stirring up dust and cobwebs as he raced upstairs. He jumped over a broken column and crept into his parent’s bedroom, careful not to scratch the floor with his claws. Finn kept it as clean as he could, dusting the furniture and washing the bedclothes at least once a week. It's not like he had anything better to do.

After making a nest for himself out of the blankets he curled up in the middle of the mattress, burying his face in the coverlet and squeezing his eyes shut. “You stupid son of a bitch.” he mumbled. “Stupid stupid stupid…”

How could he have been so careless? Almost telling Poe that he was under a curse, what was he thinking? Now Finn didn’t know much about curses, but he knew that once you told someone about it it couldn’t be broken. Finn blinked as something dawned on him, something he had refused to consider before. Huh. So there was still a little hope somewhere inside him after all. Somehow that little bit of optimism when he heard a questioning “hello” echo through the halls, footsteps squeaking on the floor, that had survived after all these years. But he had never acted on it until now. Why was that? What made Poe different?

You know what? Best not to think about it. Finn dragged himself out of his musings and scratched at the marks on the bedposts, calling back the fading memories surrounding him. On his birthday his father would stand him up to the post and measure him, making a little nick in the mahogany so they could see how much he had grown over the year. If they did that now he’d probably be taller than the bed. They had spent a lot of time in here when he was little. His mother would read him stories and teach him a language that he couldn't remember anymore, and his father was always laughing and smiling and singing...

But what books had his mother read him? What songs did his father sing? As much as it pained him, Finn's memories of his parents kept getting fainter, no matter how hard he tried to remember. He'd been five or six when he had lost them, after all.

The thing was, Finn had never found out why this had happened to him, how he had become what he was. All he could recollect was a flash of white light and his mother's shriek, followed by an awful, cackling laugh. Although what he did remember well was what had come afterwards. Running through the halls of the palace, the streets of the village, being chased out of his home by a mob led by his father, vowing to kill the Beast that had murdered his wife and child. That memory kept Finn up at night, kept him wandering through the halls like a ghost, wondering what he had done.

From what Finn could understand, his father had never been the same after that. The kingdom was ripped apart by a fruitless war, and his father was killed in battle. When Finn returned to the abandoned castle the woods followed him, creeping up through the ruined villages and stinking battlefields until they were right on the palace doorstep, boxing him in, keeping him concealed. Nobody was supposed to get in, and even if they did, Finn always, always hid from them.

"Finn? You okay?"

Finn blinked and looked up at Poe, who was hovering in the doorway with his eyebrows furrowed and his lips set. Finn just squeezed himself into a tighter ball and closed his eyes, pushing away the tears welling up against his will. Poe didn’t get the hint and plopped himself down on the bed anyways.

“C’mon, buddy. What’s on your mind?” Finn scowled and buried his face in a pillow, defeated. Poe had a way of modulating his voice, making it even and encouraging and impossible not to trust. So even though Finn didn't want to talk, he found himself doing so anyways.

"Why are you still here, Poe?" he growled pitifully. He didn't mean to growl, but it’s not like he could help it. "You can leave anytime you like. You know that."

"I know. I just like it here." Finn snorted in derision and Poe laughed. "What? It's quiet, my room’s got a great view, and I'm pretty fond of you, too." The blood rushed back to Finn’s cheeks, but he shook his head and grit his teeth, not letting Poe’s words get to him.

"Now I know you're lying." Finn uncoiled himself and slunk out of bed with a snarl. Yeah, right. He was a monster, sure, but he had some dignity, and he wasn't about to accept pity points from anybody.

"Hey, hey." Poe jumped up after him and blocked the doorway. Finn stopped only because of how ridiculous it was, Poe thinking he could hold him off. "Why do you say that?" he asked.

Not knowing how else to answer Finn lunged towards Poe and roared, baring his fangs and digging his claws into the floor, making the wood splinter. It was the earth-shattering roar that had scared off the servants, had made his governess faint and his best friend draw a sword on him. It was the roar that proved to the world he was a monster. And Poe didn’t even blink. Confused, Finn cocked his head and sat back on his haunches.

“People usually run away when I do that,” he said weakly. “All I’m good for is scaring people.” Poe’s face softened and he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck while a grin tugged at his lips.

"Finn, buddy, I’m not scared of you, not at all.” he promised. Somehow, Finn knew he was telling the truth. “You’re a good man, Finn.”

Hearing that did something to Finn. His heart twisted up and the blood rushed to his cheeks, making his head swim and his limbs seem airy, like he was walking on clouds. Not quite sure how to deal with all this he backed away to the balcony, hunching up when Poe followed him over.

“I have to…” Finn tried to speak but that was all his dry mouth could manage. "I..."

 Damn Poe and his stupid face and stupid voice and the way he made Finn's brain short-circuit. Not knowing what else to do Finn gulped and leapt off of the balcony and onto the roof, sprinting across the slippery eaves and crumbling bricks. Poe watched him run off, the scowl from earlier reappearing on his face as he rested his elbows on the balcony railing and sighed.

"What's wrong, Finn?" he asked softly. The cool night breeze ruffled his hair and he shivered, leaning out a little bit further than may have been advisable. "You can tell me, y'know. I wouldn't laugh or hate you or anything..." Poe shook his head, eyes wandering up towards the moon, hanging full and still in the sky. "You can trust me, buddy. I know it's hard, but you can trust me..."

 

————

 

A couple days passed, not quite as comfortably as before. Finn was making a point of avoiding Poe at all costs. He knew that he'd melt into a pathetic little puddle if he so much as saw that gap-toothed grin and heard that easy laugh, and the few times they had come across each other since then had proved that. So that meant Finn was spending a lot of time outside in the maze of a garden, where he could wallow and worry in peace.

Unfortunately, even that didn't last. One evening Finn was out by the pumpkin patch, cursing himself for tripping on his cape when Poe had said hello to him that afternoon, when without warning something cracked across the side of his face and he crumpled to the ground, head pounding and vision swimming.

"Where is he?" a voice demanded. Finn shook his head and blinked at the blurry shape towering above him. Geez, whoever they were, they meant business.

"What? Who're-" The shape raised what looked like a club and Finn scrambled back, rubbing the welt forming on his cheek as he got a good look at his assailant. It turned out to be a girl holding a quarterstaff, mouth set and eyes fiery. She was wearing men's trousers and had the same red emblem as Poe embroidered on her tunic. Finn blinked, putting two and two together.

"Wait, Poe? D'you mean Poe? He's fine, I swear. Please don't hit me again." 

For a moment she looked like she was going to do just that, then all of a sudden she lowered her staff, leaning on it while she scrutinised Finn with narrowed eyes. But when she spoke again her voice was almost soft.

"You're under a spell, aren't you?" she asked. Finn blinked and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. How had she known that? "It's pretty powerful, too." she continued. "How old were you when it happened?"

"I dunno, six?" Finn shook off his stupor and sat up, still a little woozy. "Are you a witch?" The girl nodded and Finn couldn't help but tremble a little. Call him crazy, but he wasn't all that fond of witches, considering his last encounter with one.

"I'm not gonna do anything to you, I swear." The girl promised, as though reading his mind. Finn was still a bit wary, but he couldn't help but notice that she had the same quality of voice as Poe, the candid honesty that meant you were safe when you spoke to them. Well, it had worked for him last time, so maybe he should give her a chance too. "I might be able to help you y'know. If you want."

Finn shrugged. "Thanks for the offer, but the spell became unbreakable a long time ago. Time's run out already."

"No, it hasn't. I'd know if it had. What's your name? I'm Rey.” she said suddenly, extending her hand with a smile. Finn accepted tentatively, trying not to nick her with his claws. "So d'you have a name or..."

"I'm Finn." he told her with a touch of pride. For some reason he loved being able to give people a proper name when they asked. So it really was the little things. "We could go find Poe, if you want." he offered. Rey nodded, and with that Finn scampered off, Rey in tow. Truth be told, he was pretty damn proud of himself. That made two friends in the span of less than a month. That's more than the past decade and a half all put together. If anyone deserved a pat on the back, it was definitely himself.

Unfortunately, his good mood wouldn't last for long.

 

————

 

"Do you have to leave?" Finn asked pleadingly. Poe sighed, guilt creeping into his chest before he could stop it. Rey had tracked him down with news from Leia that they were needed back on the front as soon as possible, sorry for the late notice. So that brought his vacation to a rough halt. It sucked for him, of course, but God knows how Finn felt about being left by himself again. Poe felt so bad that he was almost tempted to bring Finn along. But as much as he hated to admit it, that would be a terrible idea, considering how villagers tend to react to things they don't understand. And Finn was about as incomprehensible as it gets.

“We’ll come back,” Rey assured him as she stuffed her trinkets into an overflowing saddlebag. Finn nodded, but it was obvious the poor guy was bummed. Trying to keep a smile on his face Poe climbed up onto his horse and grinned at Finn, who was hesitating at the edge of the garden, scratching at the dirt with his claws, about as lost and forlorn as you can get. Like hell Poe was leaving him alone looking like that. 

"Hey, buddy. We're coming back for you, alright? And when we do, I'm bringing you to every single place I told you about before, how's that? We'll go wherever you want." Poe promised.

"Really?" Finn looked up, hope sparking in his eyes and a smile trying to fight its way onto his face. Once again the pang of leaving him behind tugged at Poe's heartstrings. If he stayed here any longer he'd be sure to give into that stupid sentimental side of himself that had made itself known in the past week or so. It was strange, but something about Finn, the kind of sad, kind of charming, kind of confusing something had basically shut down Poe's higher reasoning capacities. Unfortunate, because he kind of needed those.

"Of course, buddy. Would I lie to you?" At that Finn smiled, reassured for the moment. Okay, Poe could leave with that image in mind. "Good. See you soon."

After giving Finn one last smile Poe spurned Bea on and galloped into the forest, Rey at his heels. "Bye, Finn!" she called out. After hearing Finn's muffled reply a grin quirked at Poe's lips, but he kept his eyes fixed on the path, knowing that if he turned around, he'd be running straight back to that castle without a second thought.


	2. Chapter 2

 “A word, sir, if you please.” Poe stopped and blinked down at the man who had approached him and Rey. They were travelling through what Rey still fondly referred to as Crazy Town, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. Apparently that hadn’t worked.

 “Magistrate.” The two of them hopped off of their horses and Poe nodded politely at the pale, shrivelled up old man in a black robe. The scars cutting across his face gave Poe the impression he was looking at a reanimated corpse, stitched back together, but always with the possibility of falling apart. He was accompanied by a guy with the look of an executioner and a redhead with a clerical collar around his neck, blue eyes sparking with a malicious glint. Something told Poe that getting off of his horse had maybe been a bad idea. Too late to turn back now, though. “Is there a problem?”

“You and the wench have some questions to answer.” the executioner said. At least he said something like that. Poe quirked an eyebrow, looking puzzled.

“Sorry? Your voice is kinda, kinda muffled. Might wanna rethink the face sock…” Poe said. “What exactly are we being accused of?”

“Witchcraft,” the cleric responded, savouring the word on his tongue. “Consorting with the Devil.”

 “That’s bullshit,” Rey said bluntly. The magistrate raised an eyebrow and a bunch of thugs emerged from the throngs of peasants, grabbing her and Poe and forcing them to their knees.

“Search their packs.” he ordered.  Poe's pack yielded nothing suspicious, but Rey's proved to be a bit more telltale. They found vials of potions, a wand, runestones,  but the real clincher was the contraband hiding at the bottom of the bag. The magic mirror crackled with sparks of blue light when the cleric picked it up. He narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line, watching the flickers dance across the glass. Poe stared at it wide eyed, turning to Rey with a scowl on his face.

"Where did you get that?" he hissed. Rey squirmed and shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"Nicked it from Luke." she admitted sheepishly.

"Why the hell..." 

"It looked cool."

"That doesn't mean-" The cleric shushed them, eyes still fixed on Rey's trinket.

“The Devil’s work, magistrate,” he confirmed. The old man nodded grimly, his face twisting into a smile as he turned to Poe for an explanation. Poe gulped and tried to shrug, even though his arms were still pinned behind his back. 

“Oh, that? That’s just, uh. It’s…” 

He was saved from his floundering excuses by a sudden thwack and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground with a grunt. He twisted his neck, peering over his shoulder to try and catch a glimpse at what was happening. The thugs who had been holding Rey were laying on the ground, out cold. Poe caught a flash of an orange tail before Rey and the horses disappeared into the forest and the trees closed behind them. All this in the span of about thirty seconds. Must be a new record. Poe smirked and quirked his eyebrow at the executioner, who looked like he was scowling under his mask. He stalked forwards, but the cleric shook his head and pulled him back.

"Calm yourself, Ren." he insisted. “Save her for another day. We have who we need.” he added with a sidelong glance at Poe.

“You guys are pretty melodramatic, y’know that?” Poe told them. They all glared at him for a second, then there was a crack and everything went black.

————

Bea whinnied in distress, hooves sparking on the stone as they burst into the courtyard of the castle. Rey cursed and tugged at her bridle, trying to get her to calm down. 

“Easy, easy…” She hopped off of Bumper's saddle and ran up the stairs, bursting through the front door with a bang.  "Finn?" There was a moment of silence where her voice hung heavy on the arches and columns. Where was he? "Finn!"

"Rey?" She heard the swish of a cloak and then Finn was standing beside her, head cocked and brow furrowed. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" His eyes widened as he realised something was missing. "Where's Poe?"

"The villagers, they think he's a witch. They're gonna burn him." Without another word Finn bolted past her and out the door. When Rey ran out after him she saw nothing but a hulking shadow hurtling desperately through the trees and brambles, leaving a trail of trampled greenery. 

"Thanks for waiting..." Rey mumbled as she clambered up onto the horse. Bea tossed her head and Rey rubbed her neck. "Don't worry, Bea. It’ll be alright.” she promised. "At least, I sure hope it'll be..."

————

As far as trials go, Poe's had seemed to be nothing but a formality to give the villagers time to throw a pyre together. The crowd that had assembled in the square drew back as the executioner escorted Poe to the stake sticking out of the middle of the kindling, blunt and foreboding. Poe swallowed and looked up at the clear night sky. Damn, the one time he’d hoped for rain. 

“You ask me, this is a waste of a good fire.” Poe pointed out as he was being tied up. “What d’you say we cancel the burning and have ourselves a barbeque instead?”  One of the guards kneed him in the stomach and Poe buckled, wheezing. “Yeah, didn’t think so…” 

He looked up to see the crowd was pressing forwards with throbbing murmurs and yells, striking the ground with their pikes and pitchforks. Man, these people honest to God believed he was a witch. Poe snorted and hung his head to hide his smirk. What a way to go. He'd always figured he was gonna die young in some spectacularly stupid way, but this? This was just excessive.

 A sudden hush fell over the mob as the cleric stepped forward, orange torchlight flickering on his pale face. He flipped open a thick book, which probably listed the previously accused, and scrolled down the page until he got to Poe’s name. Then he straightened up, cleared his throat, and read out Poe’s conviction with pompous satisfaction.

“Poe Dameron, you stand accused of witchcraft and consorting with the Devil, the punishment for which is trial by burning-“

“Do I get an appeal?” Poe interrupted. Making a point of ignoring him, the cleric snapped his book shut, brow set in a scowl. Apparently Poe had gone one step too far.

“The jury finds you guilty on all counts. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.” the cleric concluded.

“Right back at you.” Poe countered with a wink. Red as his hair, the cleric passed his torch to the executioner, who tossed it onto the kindling and ignited the tufts of hay and twigs as a cheer went up from the crowd. Poe was pretty sure that meant a no on the appeal. Coughing, he closed his eyes and twisted against the rope around his wrists, holding his breath as best he could with the smoke thickening around him and the flames nipping at his ankles. There wasn’t much point in holding out, but damn if he wasn’t going down without a fight, no matter how futile.

Miracle of miracles, just as the smoke was starting to constrict Poe’s lungs a shape burst through the smoke with a roar, knocking some burning wood into the street in flurries of sparks and ash. Poe felt a hand on his shoulder and jerked away, forgetting he was still tied up. 

”Easy, old man." That was Rey, whispering in his ear while she worked at the rope tying him to the post. When he was free Rey slid down the pyre and jumped up onto her horse, who was skittering with Bea around the lumbering, growling shadow holding the mob at bay.

“Finn?” Poe rasped, throat raw from the heat.  In response Finn just bared his fangs and reared up on his hind legs with a roar. The villagers shrieked and stumbled back, unconsciously clearing a path for them. Rey drew her sword and Poe grabbed a musket from one of the wide-eyed guards as he clambered up onto his horse, shooting into the air to scatter the crowd. The three of them took off, barreling through the streets at full gallop with Rey leading the charge. Whenever the mob pressed forwards she threw them back with a wave of her hand, sending them sprawling to the ground or crashing into walls. Huh, so that's what Luke had been teaching her.

A gust of cool wind rustled against his cheek and Poe looked up with a start. They were nearly home free, the forest looming dark above them. It was so close that Poe almost let himself hope, then he heard a bang and a yelp behind him. He turned in time to see Finn collapse in a heap, blood splattered on his cloak. Poe’s blood ran cold and his eyes zeroed in on the executioner, stalking towards Finn with a sword in one hand and a gun in the other. Poe rounded on him with a yell but Rey got there first, blasting back the approaching villagers with a flash of what looked like lightning. They all dropped except for the executioner, who advanced slowly, peeling off his hood and discarding his smoking musket as he did. Rey hopped off of her horse and drew her sword, jaw set and eyes steely as the executioner stalked forwards.

"Take him back to the castle." she told Poe, nodding at Finn. ”Don't worry. I'll meet you there." Unfortunately, Poe didn’t have time to argue with her.

"You'd better, kid." 

Poe pushed Finn up onto Rey's sorrel, who whinnied and galloped off into the forest with Finn clinging to its neck. As Poe followed he let himself look back for a second and saw Rey and the executioner locked in a brawl, stabbing and slashing and hacking at each other with unhinged brutality. Then the forest engulfed him and Poe was left in the dark.

 

————

The ride back to the castle passed by in a blur. Poe was intent on the bobbing shape in front of him, the clatter of Bumper's hooves and the pained sound of Finn's breathing, so loud in the dark. All the while he was waiting for Finn's breath to stop coming or his grip to slip. Suffice to say that kept him pretty on edge.

After what felt like hours they wound up in the rose garden of the palace, well lit by the lanterns set along the path. But that just meant it was easier for Poe to see the splashes of blood staining the cobblestones and dripping off of the bushes. He hopped off of Bea and ran over to Finn, who was struggling to disentangle himself from Bumper's bridle. 

"Finn? God, Finn, what were you thinking?" he demanded as he helped Finn climb down. When his feet hit the ground Finn's knees buckled and he collapsed before Poe could catch him. "You dumbass..."

“They were gonna kill you.” Finn managed as Poe eased him down onto his back. He reached up and stroked Poe’s face, grinning a little bit when Poe pressed his paw to his cheek. ”I couldn’t let them…” Poe just hiccuped and squeezed Finn's arm like a drowning man clings to a buoy, like he'd die if he was ever forced to let go.

“This is all my fault." he said shakily. "I shouldn't have left you by yourself in the first place. C’mon, Finn, don’t do this.”

“You’ll be fine…” Finn tried to protest but Poe shook his head, managing a bit of a smile when Finn started to play with his hair. 

“No, I won’t. Not without you. What about all the places we were going to go? All the things we were going to do? You're not going to make me do them all by myself, are you?" He tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sob. Finn’s breath was coming slow and shallow, his heartbeat fluttering under Poe’s hand. There was so much more he had to say, but Poe couldn’t remember any of it right now, except for three words, and he wasn’t quite sure he was brave enough to say them.

“Poe, I…” Finn tried to speak, but his voice couldn't get any louder than a whisper. Poe shook his head and squeezed him tight, his fingers tangled in the bloody tufts of fur. He had to get it out before it was too late, before the revelation was his and his alone. 

“You can’t leave me.” he choked out. He buried his face in Finn’s neck, right where his pulse should be thudding like a drum. But where he should have found home, now he found emptiness. 

“Don’t…” It was hopeless. Poe knew it was hopeless. Finn was still and silent in his arms and there was no way to get him back. Blinking, Poe took a shuddering breath and wiped the ash from Finn’s face, gently brushing his eyelids shut as he did.

“I’m so sorry, Finn,” he said softly. He leant forwards and pressed his trembling lips to Finn's forehead, still trying his best to fight back tears. "I love you.”

When the words left Poe's lips a tremor ran through Finn’s limp form, the barest twitch, the slightest tremble. Poe didn’t notice, though, too wrapped up in his grief, cheek pressed to Finn’s chest while broken sobs escaped his lips. But when Finn shifted underneath him Poe jumped back, staring wide-eyed as the lifeless body was lifted from the ground, head tilted back and cloak billowing in slow waves. A blinding light illuminated Finn from the inside out, washing them both in an ethereal glow. Poe shielded his eyes, but couldn't resist peeking out from a gap between his fingers, trying to understand what was happening and coming up empty handed.

A warm wind had sprung up and scattered leaves and petals as smoke enveloped Finn, who wasn’t much more than a twisted shadow in the swirling fog, matted up in his cloak and shining with the light of the sun. Poe scrambled backwards when an eruption of sparks burst from inside the cloud with a bang, blinding him. Having nothing else to do he closed his eyes and waited for whatever was happening to end. 

Moments later he heard a soft thud and opened his eyes, blinking in the smoke still clouding the courtyard. As the air cleared he knelt beside the smoking heap that lay curled up on the grass, hesitation making his movements stutter. Coughing, he pushed the cloak out of the way, but what he saw gave him pause.

A man was tangled up in the torn, bloody fabric, eyes closed and dark skin glowing like satin in the moonlight. He was alive, as far as Poe could tell, chest rising and falling steadily under his tattered shirt. Without really thinking about it Poe reached out and ran his fingers over the smooth curve of his jaw, the gentle slope of his full lips. The man scrunched up his eyes and groaned at the touch. Shit. Poe hadn't meant to wake him.

He jerked away as the stranger struggled to his feet, rags hanging loose on his broad frame. They were the same height, but he had broader shoulders and looked much younger, early twenties at most. Poe blinked and swallowed around the lump in his throat. He felt like crying but wasn't quite sure why.

As Poe watched the stranger rubbed his eyes and blinked down at his hands in confusion. He flexed his fingers and pressed them to his chest, scratching his blunt nails over the sweat-slick skin like he thought it might change or disappear. When nothing happened he turned to Poe, smiling a wide, open smile, but it faded when he was met with a look bordering on fear. 

"Poe? Don't you recognise me?" he asked, sounding anxious.

Without answering Poe got to his feet and stepped forwards, slow and cautious, the way you'd approach a wild animal. The irony of that statement never occurred to him. The stranger, however, had no such qualms, eagerly taking Poe's extended hand in his, smiling at how easily their fingers laced together. And when Poe ran a hand over his cheek he nuzzled into the touch with the enthusiasm of a two-month old puppy. Looking into those bright, familiar brown eyes, Poe found his voice. 

"Finn?" he ventured. Finn nodded against Poe’s palm, pressing fluttering kisses to his fingertips. ”Oh, Finn..."  Poe felt himself begin to well up again, but before he had the chance to burst out crying he dragged Finn into a tight hug, nearly losing his hard-won composure when Finn hugged back, digging his fingers into Poe’s back and nuzzling his face into his shoulder. 

”Never do that again," he ordered into Finn's hair, voice harsh on account of the tears he was holding back. “D’you hear me? Don’t you dare scare me like that…”

“You’re crushing me,” Finn complained, squirming in Poe’s arms. Poe sighed in exasperation and cupped Finn's face in his palms, just letting himself look at the man standing in front of him, beautiful and alive and smiling like he could read Poe's thoughts. "Somebody's emotional."

"Shut up." Poe laughed as Finn rubbed his tear-stained cheeks. His fingers lingered longer than may have actually been necessary, but Poe let him do as he pleased, recognising the wonder in his touch, the innocent amazement when Finn realised, _Hey, I'm not hurting him. He's not scared of me._ When Poe's face was dry Finn nodded in satisfaction and rested their foreheads together. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that Poe knew all too well, the one he saw when he was about to lose at chess for the twelfth time in a row.

“You wanna ask me something?”

“Well, I was just thinking…” Finn smiled, fingers still buried in Poe’s curls. “Aren't you supposed to kiss me now?" he asked. A grin quirked at Poe's lips and he drew back a little bit, laughing when Finn pressed forwards, trying to stay flush against him.

"Sounds about right." Poe agreed. Eyes sparkling with anticipation, Finn leant in for a kiss, then they heard rustling and snapping in the woods, followed by a string of curses. The two of them turned around just as Rey popped up out of the bushes at the edge of the garden, leaves and twigs sticking out of her hair. She was a little bruised up but no worse for wear than usual.

"Poe? Where’s Finn? Who's..." she trailed off, staring at Finn with narrowed eyes. Then her face broke into a smile and she barrelled forwards, arms outstretched. "Finn!"

Finn let out a delighted laugh and caught her in his arms, squeezing her tightly to his chest. ”Thank you so much, Rey." he whispered in her hair. “You were right, it wasn't too late.”

"'Course I was, you dummy." Rey told him, voice muffled in Finn's neck. Poe sat down on a broken pillar and smiled, watching Rey tug at Finn’s short curls and poke at his face, grinning all the while. After a moment he cleared his throat and Rey pulled away from Finn, blinking at Poe as she tried to figure out what he wanted. 

"Was I interrupting something?" she asked. Poe cocked an eyebrow and Rey nodded, sticking her hands in her pockets and scuffing the ground with the toe of her boot. ”I’ll go check on the horses, I guess…”

"Good idea." Finn agreed. He watched Rey run off, smiling as he joined Poe on the downed pillar. "So now what?” he teased. But Poe was done being coy. He plopped himself down on Finn's lap and wrapped his arms around his neck, scowling a little bit at the delay. “Okay, I get it, you’re impatient…” 

"Now you notice?" Poe complained as Finn cupped his face and drew him up against his chest. "Geez, your highness, nothing gets past you..." 

Finn interrupted Poe by pulling him close and pressing their lips together, warm and gentle. Poe made a happy noise in the back of his throat and curled his hands against Finn's chest with a sigh, closing his eyes and just letting himself be brought along for the ride.  Then all of a sudden Finn pulled away and Poe blinked, frowning at the loss. But that frown didn't last long. 

"I love you." Finn said softly. Poe raised his eyebrows and laughed, nuzzling into Finn's neck with a sigh.

"I love you too. Y'know, this would've been so much easier if I had just admitted that sooner..." Poe mumbled. Finn snorted and Poe grinned at him, tilting his face up in the hopes of getting another kiss. Suffice to say his patience was greatly rewarded.

When Rey rounded the corner a couple minutes later the two of them were still at it, somehow. Not wanting to intrude she groaned and turned away, dragging the horses back to the stables.

"This'll be insufferable..." she told Bea. The horse snorted and tossed her head in agreement. "Oh well. At least it's a nice ending. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff..."

After all, who doesn't love a good happily ever after?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was fun to write. But now I'm out of ideas for other stories so I guess I'll go take a nap or something.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm working backstage for a Beauty and the Beast show and I haven't seen a Beauty and the Beast AU for these two, so here it is for some reason. No one asked, but I delivered.


End file.
